Written Answers Nos. 439-448
439. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the all-in final capital cost of developing the new Waterford residential care centre; the number of beds; the all-in revenue cost of staffing and servicing the facility; and the whole-time equivalent requirements. [23727/23]
View answerAs these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
440. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if pharmacy fees will be restored (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23728/23]
View answerI recognise the significant role community pharmacists play in the delivery of patient care and acknowledge the potential for this role to be developed further in the context of health service reform.
The regulations governing the pharmacy fee structure that were made under section 9 of the Financial Emergency Measures in Public Interests (FEMPI) Act 2009 expired at the end of 2019.
Under the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017, these regulations had to be replaced by 1 January 2020 in order to maintain a statutory basis for contractor payments and to prescribe the fees payable from that date.
The current pharmacy fee structure was put in place by the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 (Payments to Community Pharmacy Contractors) Regulations 2019 – S.I. 639 of 2019 – which came into effect from 1 January 2020.
Since then, the overall spend on fees paid to community pharmacists under the community drug schemes has continued to rise year-on-year, including by €95.7m more in 2022 than in 2019. This is an increase of 30.5% on 2019. This indicates the substantial investment made by the Government to keep pace with the increased activity across the community drug schemes.
Under Section 42(14) of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017, the pharmacy fee structure must be reviewed every 3 years after 2020. Therefore, a review will take place in 2023 and work in that regard has already commenced.
Of course, any publicly funded pharmacy service expansion should address unmet public healthcare needs, improve access to existing public health services, and provide better value for money.
441. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the current state of Tender 23 home-care considerations, given the criticality of home care, and the many people waiting for it; if he will move with alacrity to end any and all delays to Tender 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23731/23]
View answerAs these are operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
442. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he will set out the current situation concerning the new home care tender process; if he and Minister Butler have met with representatives of an organisation (details supplied) to address this issue; the matters that remain to be resolved in finalising the tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23737/23]
View answerThe process of developing the new tender is at an advanced stage. Officials in the Department of Health are engaging at a senior level with the HSE and the HSE has ongoing engagements with home care providers in order to progress the new tender as a matter of priority.
The HSE 2018 Tender Framework for the provision of home support services was initially valid for the period 01 September 2018 to 31 December 2020. This was further extended by the HSE at the end of 2022, initially to the end of April 2023. The HSE has proposed a further extension of the contract arrangements to Friday 30 of June, to allow time to finalise tender arrangements.
As a strict communication protocol applies in all phases of the procurement process, it is not possible to further discuss the contents of the tender.
443. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that there is an automated external defibrillator installed in the Walkinstown area (details supplied); and if not, the reason therefor. [23739/23]
View answerEnhanced community response to cardiac arrest is critical to improving survival rates and this is wholly recognised in the National Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Strategy (OHCA) – Putting Survival at the Heart of the Community (2019). The National Ambulance Service for example, have a network of over 250 Community First Responder (CFR) Schemes, supported by a Community Engagement Team. In the event of a cardiac arrest, automated text messages direct Community First Responders to the scene of any cardiac arrest that occurs in the catchment area. The role is to help stabilise the patient by providing CPR and defibrillation, while awaiting an ambulance crew.
The OHCA Strategy Governance Implementation Group has a specific aim to implement a National Ambulance Service (NAS), national Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Registry which is mapped to the NAS dispatch system, and a supporting application for dispatching first responders to the scene of an emergency. Work is in progress on developing the AED Registry, with specific emphasis on ensuring the cyber safety of the NAS dispatch system.
A facility to register AEDs with the National Ambulance Service exists and AEDs can be registered at the following web address www.nationalambulanceservice.ie/community/aed/
The National Ambulance Service is currently increasing the number of registered AEDs and automated dispatch of CFRs.
AEDs are available in many locations across society under the management of various organisations.
The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) operated by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, provides the Online Sports Capital Register (OSCAR) portal which is open to any valid organisation that is registered on the portal, to apply for AEDs when a new programme is announced. It is hoped a new round of the programme will be announced shortly. All registered organisations will receive an email when the programme is announced. The SCEP and the OSCAR portal can be accessed at the following web address www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie/
Funding may also available through the HSE’s national lottery grants schemes, information for which can be accessed at the following web address www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/lottery-grants/national-lottery-grants/
444. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health when the pandemic payment will be paid to clerical staff who worked in the Enniscorthy vaccination centre during the pandemic who met with thousands of members of the general public as they received their vaccinations, and who were contracted by a private contractor (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23740/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
I would also like to remind the Deputy that it is against Department policy to comment on individual cases.
445. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will fulfil the promises he made on a radio show (details supplied) and put protective zones in place with utmost urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23746/23]
View answerThe Government is committed to ensuring that anyone needing a termination of pregnancy can access services in safety and with privacy and dignity.
The purpose of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022 is to ensure safe access to termination of pregnancy services for women, service providers and their staff throughout the country. Government approved the General Scheme on 27th July 2022 and it was published on 5th August 2022.
Drafting of this legislation is now at an advanced stage and I expect to bring a final draft of the Bill to Cabinet in the coming weeks and progress it through the Houses thereafter.
446. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23747/23]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
448. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if he intends to review the payments to nursing homes, both private and public, both in regard to those payments and to wage levels in the sector. [23770/23]
View answerNeither the Department nor NTPF has any direct role in setting pay in private sector nursing homes.
The NTPF has been designated by the Minister for Health pursuant to Section 40 and Section 41 of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009 as a body authorised to negotiate with proprietors of non-HSE registered nursing homes to reach agreement in relation to the maximum price(s) that can be charged for the provision of long-term residential care services to NHSS residents. Maximum prices for individual nursing homes are agreed with the NTPF following negotiations and based on the NTPF’s cost criteria.
The objective of the NTPF is to agree a price with each nursing home that offers value for money to the State having regard to the following criteria:
a) the costs reasonably and prudently incurred by the home and evidence of value for money;
b) the price(s) previously charged;
c) the local market price; and
d) budgetary constraints and the obligation of the State to use available resources in the most beneficial, effective and efficient manner to improve, promote and protect the health and welfare of the public
The NTPF carry out this role independently under the NHSS Act 2009. The NTPF has statutory independence, and there is no role for Ministers or the Department of Health in these negotiations.
The Department of Health published a review of the NTPF pricing system in June 2021 and made several recommendations. A steering group has been established to oversee the delivery of these recommendations; this group has met on a regular basis since publication of the review and continues to work on taking these recommendations forward.
The Department of Health continues to engage with the NTPF to examine ways in which funding can be used to provide support to nursing homes. In addition, the NTPF will shortly be seeking up-to-date financial and operational information from nursing homes to inform further analysis and considerations of measures to support the sector.
The reform of the pricing system for private and voluntary nursing homes should not be viewed in isolation but in the context of wider sectoral reforms which continue to be brought forward.
The Government remains committed to delivering on:
• The nine recommendations that emerged from the Value for Money Review on Nursing Home Costs,
• The 86 recommendations of COVID-19 Nursing Homes Expert Panel, especially those recommendations related to long-term sectoral reform,
• The four recommendations of the NTPF Review of Pricing System for Long Term Residential Care Facilities and
• The 16 recommendations of the Strategic Workforce Advisory Group on Home Carers and Nursing Home Health Care Assistants.
Work continues within the Department of Health to deliver on all of these recommendations, as well as analysing the outcomes of the Skills Mix and Safe Staffing pilots which will serve to inform future policy-making.
The Government is committed to seeing greater public sector involvement in the residential care of older people in Ireland and to move over time towards a needs-based model of funding and pricing for the nursing home sector.
